Bernard Matthews to axe 150 jobs at Norfolk headquarters

British turkey producer Bernard Matthews has confirmed its move to cut about 150 jobs at its headquarters in Norfolk County, UK as part of a restructuring strategy.

Employees at the Great Witchingham facility in the county have been informed about the proposed job cuts by the 2 Sisters Food Group owned company, reported Eastern Daily Press reported.

While 90 employees could be made redundant in the production unit, the company may eliminate 50 jobs at its head office operations.

Employee unions are due to meet with the company heads to discuss the proposals, which are subject to a consultation period lasting 45 days.

The proposals could lead to Bernard Matthews shutting down its chicken production at Great Witchingham.

A Bernard Matthews spokesman has been quoted in the publication to have said: “The potential changes are a consequence of the company undertaking restructuring across its head office and a proposal to cease production of chicken at its Great Witchingham factory. If these changes proceed, they will create a business which is fit for future growth.

“Our focus now is to support colleagues affected and ensure we explore all options available to us to mitigate potential job losses.”

The turkey producer's Holton facility in Suffolk County would mainly produce fresh and whole-bird products throughout the year should the company go ahead with its restructuring proposals. On the other hand, the Great Witchingham is likely to focus on manufacturing labeled and processed products, the publication reported.